To Completely Remove the Shadow of the “Return to the Asia-Pacific” Strategy

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The key to the success of America’s “Return to the Asia-Pacific” strategy lies whether the U.S. is indeed promoting cooperation rather than creating division in the Asia-Pacific region—a situation that the nations in the Asia-Pacific Region want to see the least.

As part of the foreign ministers’ meetings of the East Asia Summit (EAS), the foreign ministers’ meetings of the Second ESA Summit will be held in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is also planning to make an appearance. The New York Times commented that Clinton’s visit would release a message that the U.S. is striving to expand trade and investment in East Asia thus easing the previous strong military-presence impression the public was given about the “Return to the Asia-Pacific” strategy. The U.S.’ “Return to the Asia-Pacific” strategy is forcing countries in the region to “choose a side” between the two great countries: China and the U.S., therefore the situation makes the East Asia nations “extremely uncomfortable.”

The East Asian countries’ “extremely uncomfortable” feeling is a necessary reaction to the internal contradiction of the U.S’ “Return to the Asia-Pacific” strategy. If the U.S. only shows some gestures rather than take actions to solve the contradiction, the feelings of the East Asian countries will not be eased.

　　

In recent years, cooperation in East Asia has shown some thriving momentum. Peace, stability, and development are the common hopes of the nations in the region. The U.S. is currently suffering from economic downturn; its major goal of adopting the “Return to the Asia-Pacific Region” strategy is to share the economic prosperity of East Asia thus to spur the U.S.’s exports and employment. The United States is the strongest economy in the world, and it has inextricable relations with East Asian countries’ economics and trade. America’s wise “return” will undoubtedly help to promote regional economic cooperation—the expectations of the East Asian countries. But whether the U.S.’s “Return to the Asia-Pacific” strategy can be implemented, the key lies in whether the U.S. is willing to invest more in accordance with the needs of the cooperation and development of the East Asian countries.

The practices of the U.S.’ “Return to Asia-Pacific” strategy shows that Washington has first chosen the strategy of military deployment. From the U.S.’ strategy of “Rebalancing the Asia-Pacific” which reinforces America’s position in the East Asia to the concept of the Cold War legacy of “Air Sea Battle”; From the enhancement of American troops deployed in Australia to 22 countries’ recent joint military exercises around the Pacific Rim, all these actions send the public a message that makes people question the real purpose of the U.S.’ “Returning to the Asia-Pacific” strategy. A direct consequence of these actions is to exacerbate the tension of Asia-Pacific region’s security thus forcing countries in the region to choose a side between China and the U.S.

We cannot say that the U.S. is not aware of the inherent contradictions of its “Return to the Asia-Pacific” strategy. On one end, the U.S. tries to curb the rise of China, establish its existence in the region and form alliances; on the other end, the U.S. tries to share the economic prosperity in the Asia- Pacific region through minimum investment while hoping for maximum return, which is very unlikely. It seems that the U.S. has realized the seriousness of the problem, and some spokesman from Washington recently said that Hillary Clinton would take the opportunity of attending the foreign ministers’ meetings of the ESA Regional Forum series to stress the importance of a stable Sino-US relations to the ESA countries.

Actions speak louder than words. The U.S. should take some practical and concrete actions next –to participate in the East Asian economic cooperation therefore to play a positive role in deepening cooperation in the region. At the meantime the U.S. should show the East Asian countries its sincerity of establishing stable relations with China. The key to the success of America’s “Return to the Asia-Pacific” strategy lies whether the U.S. is indeed promoting cooperation rather than creating division in the Asia-Pacific region—a situation that the nations in the Asia-Pacific Region wants to see the least.

Strengthening communication and engaging in mutually beneficial cooperation as well as positive interaction between the U.S. and China are in line with the common interests of the two countries and the countries in the East Asian region. China’s rise does not mean U.S.’ fall. The broad landscapes on the two ends of the Pacific have enough space for the two big powers. China welcomes the U.S. to play a constructive role in Eastern Asia’s peace, stability, and prosperity, but also hopes that the U.S. will respect and care for the significant interests and reasonable concerns of the Asia-Pacific countries. The U.S.’s “Return to the Asia-Pacific” strategy can only be widely recognized if it changes its attitude and abandons its zero-peace thinking.

美国“重返亚太”战略成败的关键就在于，它能否真正促进东亚地区的合作，而不是制造分裂。后者无疑是东亚国家最不愿看到的一种局面。

作为东盟地区论坛系列外长会的一部分，第二届东亚峰会外长会将在柬埔寨首都金边举行。美国国务卿希拉里·克林顿将再次参会。《纽约时报》发表述评称，希拉里·克林顿此行将释放一个信息，即美国力争扩大在东亚地区贸易与投资，从而缓解前一阶段美国“重返亚太”战略的强烈军事意味。美国“重返亚太”战略正迫使该地区国家在中美两大国之间“选边站队”，使它们“极不舒服”。

东亚国家的“极不舒服”感，是美国“重返亚太”战略内在矛盾性的必然反应。如果美国不能很好地解决这个内在矛盾，仅仅是摆出一些姿态，缓解不了东亚国家的这种感受。

近年来，东亚合作呈现出蒸蒸日上的势头，和平、稳定、发展是地区国家的普遍愿望。陷入经济低迷的美国，在此时提出“重返亚太”，一大目的就是要分享东亚的经济繁荣，以带动美国的出口与就业。美国是世界上经济实力最强的国家，同东亚国家在经贸关系方面有着千丝万缕的联系。美国明智的“重返”无疑有助于推动地区经济合作，这也是东亚国家的期待。但美国“重返亚太”战略是否推行得下去，关键还在于美国是否愿意按照东亚合作发展的需要来作更多的投入。

美国“重返亚太”的实践表明，华盛顿选择了军事部署先行的策略。从加固在东亚地位的“亚太再平衡”战略到具有冷战遗风的“空海一体战”概念，从增兵澳大利亚到最近的22国环太平洋联合军演，释放出的信息不能不让人们对美国“重返亚太” 战略的真实目的画个问号。美国一系列举动带来的直接后果，就是加剧地区安全的紧张氛围，迫使地区国家“选边站队”。

对于“重返亚太”战略的内在矛盾性，美国不可谓不知。一面要遏制中国的崛起，树旗帜、拉团伙；一面又要更多分享亚洲的经济繁荣，试图以微小的投入来实现利益最大化。这是不大可能的。美国似乎已经开始认识到问题的严重性。华盛顿人士近日表示，希拉里·克林顿将借出席东盟地区论坛系列外长会之机，向东盟国家强调中美关系稳定的重要性。

行胜于言。美国下一步需要采取切实、具体的行动，参与到东亚经济合作中来，为深化地区合作发挥正面作用，同时让东亚国家实实在在地看到其发展稳定的对华关系的诚意。美国“重返亚太”战略成败的关键就在于，它能否真正促进东亚地区的合作，而不是制造分裂。后者无疑是东亚国家最不愿看到的一种局面。

中美在亚太加强沟通、开展互利合作、进行良性互动，符合两国和地区国家的共同利益。中国的崛起，并不意味着美国的衰落。宽广的太平洋两岸有足够空间容纳中美两个大国。中国欢迎美国为本地区和平、稳定、繁荣发挥建设性作用，也希望美国尊重和照顾亚太各国的重大利益与合理关切。美国惟有调整好心态，放弃零和思维，其“重返亚太”战略才能得到广泛认同。